diff --git a/macos/LCTMac/App/AppDelegate.swift b/macos/LCTMac/App/AppDelegate.swift
index c31e311..3ee8f8d 100644
--- a/macos/LCTMac/App/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/macos/LCTMac/App/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -56,7 +56,10 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
         
         // Setup status bar item (optional)
         setupStatusBarItem()
-        
+
+        // Register system-wide hotkeys (⌃⌥⌘ S/P/O)
+        GlobalHotKeyManager.shared.registerDefaults()
+
         // Request necessary permissions
         requestPermissions()
         
@@ -133,7 +136,10 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
         // Close overlay window
         overlayWindow?.close()
         overlayWindow = nil
-        
+
+        // Unregister global hotkeys
+        GlobalHotKeyManager.shared.unregister()
+
         // Remove status item
         if let statusItem = statusItem {
             NSStatusBar.system.removeStatusItem(statusItem)
diff --git a/macos/LCTMac/App/GlobalHotKeyManager.swift b/macos/LCTMac/App/GlobalHotKeyManager.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8192bab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/macos/LCTMac/App/GlobalHotKeyManager.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+import AppKit
+import Carbon.HIToolbox
+
+/// Registers system-wide hotkeys via Carbon's RegisterEventHotKey.
+///
+/// Unlike NSEvent global monitors, this needs no Accessibility/Input-Monitoring
+/// permission — the OS notifies us only when our specific chord fires, rather
+/// than us observing every keystroke. Hotkey presses post the same
+/// Notifications the in-app menu/commands already use, so there's no coupling
+/// to the view model.
+///
+/// Default chords (control-option-command + key, chosen to avoid clashing with
+/// system shortcuts like ⌘Space Spotlight):
+///   ⌃⌥⌘ S — start/stop capture
+///   ⌃⌥⌘ P — pause/resume
+///   ⌃⌥⌘ O — toggle overlay
+@MainActor
+final class GlobalHotKeyManager {
+    static let shared = GlobalHotKeyManager()
+
+    private var hotKeyRefs: [EventHotKeyRef?] = []
+    private var eventHandler: EventHandlerRef?
+    private var installed = false
+
+    private init() {}
+
+    /// Carbon hotkey identifiers; the C handler maps these to Notifications.
+    private enum Action: UInt32 {
+        case toggleCapture = 1
+        case togglePause = 2
+        case toggleOverlay = 3
+    }
+
+    func registerDefaults() {
+        guard !installed else { return }
+        installed = true
+
+        installHandler()
+        register(.toggleCapture, keyCode: UInt32(kVK_ANSI_S))
+        register(.togglePause, keyCode: UInt32(kVK_ANSI_P))
+        register(.toggleOverlay, keyCode: UInt32(kVK_ANSI_O))
+    }
+
+    func unregister() {
+        for ref in hotKeyRefs where ref != nil {
+            UnregisterEventHotKey(ref)
+        }
+        hotKeyRefs.removeAll()
+        if let eventHandler {
+            RemoveEventHandler(eventHandler)
+        }
+        eventHandler = nil
+        installed = false
+    }
+
+    // MARK: - Carbon plumbing
+
+    private func installHandler() {
+        var spec = EventTypeSpec(
+            eventClass: OSType(kEventClassKeyboard),
+            eventKind: UInt32(kEventHotKeyPressed)
+        )
+
+        // The handler is a C function pointer: it captures nothing and only
+        // touches thread-safe APIs (GetEventParameter, NotificationCenter.post),
+        // so it is safe to invoke from Carbon's nonisolated callback context.
+        InstallEventHandler(
+            GetApplicationEventTarget(),
+            { _, event, _ -> OSStatus in
+                guard let event else { return OSStatus(eventNotHandledErr) }
+
+                var hotKeyID = EventHotKeyID()
+                let status = GetEventParameter(
+                    event,
+                    UInt32(kEventParamDirectObject),
+                    UInt32(typeEventHotKeyID),
+                    nil,
+                    MemoryLayout<EventHotKeyID>.size,
+                    nil,
+                    &hotKeyID
+                )
+                guard status == noErr else { return status }
+
+                let name: Notification.Name?
+                switch hotKeyID.id {
+                case Action.toggleCapture.rawValue: name = .toggleCapture
+                case Action.togglePause.rawValue: name = .togglePause
+                case Action.toggleOverlay.rawValue: name = .toggleOverlay
+                default: name = nil
+                }
+
+                if let name {
+                    // object: nil → the .toggleCapture observer treats this as a
+                    // toggle (start if stopped, stop if running).
+                    NotificationCenter.default.post(name: name, object: nil)
+                }
+                return noErr
+            },
+            1,
+            &spec,
+            nil,
+            &eventHandler
+        )
+    }
+
+    private func register(_ action: Action, keyCode: UInt32) {
+        let modifiers = UInt32(controlKey | optionKey | cmdKey)
+        // Signature 'LCT!' scopes our hotkey ids.
+        let hotKeyID = EventHotKeyID(signature: OSType(0x4C43_5421), id: action.rawValue)
+
+        var ref: EventHotKeyRef?
+        let status = RegisterEventHotKey(
+            keyCode,
+            modifiers,
+            hotKeyID,
+            GetApplicationEventTarget(),
+            0,
+            &ref
+        )
+
+        if status == noErr {
+            hotKeyRefs.append(ref)
+        } else {
+            appLog("[GlobalHotKey] Failed to register \(action) (status \(status)) — chord may be taken")
+        }
+    }
+}